Music:

HOMEBAKE LEAVES AUSTRALIA HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE

David James Young

Published July 31st 2012

Iconic Australian band Blondie set to headline Homebake… wait, what?

Since its establishment in the mid-90s, traversing the east coast of Australia before finding a home in Sydney, Homebake is a festival that has always thrived on one central theme: celebrating the very best of Australasian music across all genres, bringing together line-ups that have often been definitive reflections of the finest acts of the time, as well as – for better and for worse – the most popular. If you can think of a great Australian or New Zealand band or musician, then there is a 99% chance that they’ve played the festival. All knuckle-dragging nationalism aside, Homebake is a festival that has always been relied upon for showing us what great homegrown acts we have.

That is, however, until now.

In a move that has everyone talking, Homebake has announced that the headlining act for 2012 will be veteran New York new-wavers Blondie. The festival is being branded as “The Global Edition,” with Blondie given “honorary Homebake visas” to headline the festival. It is unclear why the organisers would choose the “Heart of Glass” hit-makers out of literally any international act they could want for a “global edition” of the festival. But as Blondie fans we’re not exactly complaining.

Along with our new adopted-Aussies, are a handful of Kiwis in Kimbra, Shapeshifter and Six60; as well as some Aussie expatriates in Tim Minchin, Daniel Merriweather and Sam Sparro. The rest of the line-up is littered with current festival go-tos (Ball Park Music, Hilltop Hoods) and a few nostalgia pops (sonicanimation, The Saints). In other words, it’s safe to say that Homebake isn’t going to be the same festival this year.

Tickets will go on sale on the 16th of August through Ticketek, Oztix and Moshtix. For all information, visit the official website.